Devotionals

Today’s passage is a proof text for question and answer 71 of the Heidelberg Catechism, which, in accord with Scripture, calls baptism “the water of rebirth” and “the washing away of sins.” People can be saved without being baptized if, ...Read More

Pressuring a weak believer to do something he perceives as wrong is the wrong way to help the weak become stronger. The right way is to teach the principles of biblical religion, and address the specific issues in an atmosphere ...Read More

Has anyone ever called you judgmental? Do you consider something to be sinful that God has not? Do you try to be another’s conscience? Are you too loose with God’s Word? Do you feel uncomfortable around more conscientious Christians? If ...Read More

John Calvin comments, “They who are strong should spend their labor in assisting the weak, and that they who have made the greatest advances should bear with the more ignorant. For God, by making us stronger than others, does not ...Read More

One commentator describes the enduring message of today’s passage thusly: If I insist that I am permanent, I will fail. But if I confess God’s permanence—if I trust in His Word and believe it is sure—then He sustains me forever ...Read More

Jesus tells us in Luke 12:48b that “everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” The more we have been blessed with, the ...Read More

Sin, ultimately is a failure to love ordinately. Either we fail to love enough, as when we mistreat others, or we love too much, as when we elevate love of God’s gifts above love of God. Seek always to give ...Read More

There are no second-class citizens in the kingdom of God, so everyone who trusts in the name of Christ has also received the gift of His Holy Spirit. By this Spirit, we are being transformed from glory to glory, and ...Read More

The greatest danger of positing a second blessing of the Holy Spirit is its creation of a Christian caste system. It divides the church into Spirit-haves and Spirit-have-nots, separating what God has united. This leads to feelings of superiority and ...Read More

Question and answer 168 of the Westminster Larger Catechism expand upon the benefits we receive by the Spirit in the Lord’s Supper. We are enabled to renew our thankfulness to God for all that He has done for us. We ...Read More